see your sister, Theresa?’
‘Told yis, she went off to school on Friday, never come home. Da went mental, sent me brothers down the town to get her. But she wasn’t there, she wasn’t nowhere.’
‘You’re at the same school as her?’
‘Aye.’ She should have been there now, Paula thought.
‘She normally came home straight away?’
‘She did them after-school courses and that. Da didn’t mind them. Computers and that shite.’
‘But no one called the police when you couldn’t find her?’
Theresa shrugged; the police didn’t count for much in the camp. She was grasping her phone and Paula glimpsed the screensaver, wet with drops of rain – a girl with a mane of chestnut hair, braces on her teeth.
‘That’s Majella? Can you tell me – how was she, before she went?’
Theresa looked down at her sister’s picture. ‘Same as always. She’s a right moody cow, our Maj.’ She shrugged again; at just twelve she had that teenage insouciance thing nailed.
‘So it wasa Friday, the last time you saw her. Where was she meant to be, do you know? Is there an after-school course that day?’
Theresa thought about it, fiddling with the phone in its pink diamanté case. ‘Dunno. Typing, maybe.’ She scowled up at them. ‘The peelers reckon Da took her off to get hitched.’
‘But you don’t think so?’
‘Naw.’ She was scornful. ‘Hit the fecking roof, so he did. He’s not, what’s his name, Robert de Niro, y’know?’
Guy looked puzzled but Paula tried to decipher this. ‘You mean, he’s not much of an actor? So he must not have known where she was? I see. What about your mum?’
‘He says jump, she says how high.’ Theresa was going to have a really excellent sneer in a few years. ‘All me uncles are off looking for her round the country now.’
‘Did Majella have any boyfriends, anything like that?’
The girl’s tight ponytail swung as she shook her head. ‘No way, José. Mammy’d have skinned her alive if she went with fellas.’
‘Well, tell me more about her after-school courses – you said computers?’
‘Aye. Like when they reckon you’re too thick to get a job.’ Majella had gone to the high school in town, a non-denominational institute for those who didn’t make the grammar schools, so Paula was afraid there might be some truth in what the girl said.
‘Did she ever mention something about a mission?’
Theresa gave her a suspicious look. ‘You been doing your snooping, missus. Aye, she went there a few times. Mammy’d not have let her, so she never said.’
‘Have you been?’ Paula was aware of Guy’s warning looks, but ignored them.
‘Jaysus, no – load of Holy Joes clapping and singing about God and shite. Haveta be fourteen anyhow.’
Guy was frowning, soPaula smiled at the girl. ‘Thank you, Theresa. We’re going to do our best to find your sister, I promise.’
Theresa nodded as if she didn’t quite believe this. ‘Missus? You reckon some pervert took her? Her and that other wee girl?’
‘Most people who go missing come back safe and sound,’ said Paula truthfully, and the girl relaxed a bit.
‘Mammy’ll feckin’ skin her when she’s back.’
Well, there was an incentive to return.
They were on their way to the car when a banging broke out and Paula flinched. ‘ Peeler peeler peeler, out out out! ’ From between the caravans came the slam of fists on sheet metal; the men were punching the sides.
‘What are they saying?’ Guy called out over the din.
‘That we should get out! We’re the peelers, apparently.’
‘OK. Well, let’s go then.’ His hand gripped her elbow, secure.
‘Aye, yis useless fecks, when you gonna find my Majella?’ The man who wobbled over had a dark moustache and ponytail. A tall man, and powerfully built, but his face seemed to be crumpling in on itself. You could smell the booze at ten paces.
‘Paddy Ward,’ said Guy quietly. ‘Jesus, he’s gone downhill.’ He raised his voice. ‘Mr
‘Told yis, she went off to school on Friday, never come home. Da went mental, sent me brothers down the town to get her. But she wasn’t there, she wasn’t nowhere.’
‘You’re at the same school as her?’
‘Aye.’ She should have been there now, Paula thought.
‘She normally came home straight away?’
‘She did them after-school courses and that. Da didn’t mind them. Computers and that shite.’
‘But no one called the police when you couldn’t find her?’
Theresa shrugged; the police didn’t count for much in the camp. She was grasping her phone and Paula glimpsed the screensaver, wet with drops of rain – a girl with a mane of chestnut hair, braces on her teeth.
‘That’s Majella? Can you tell me – how was she, before she went?’
Theresa looked down at her sister’s picture. ‘Same as always. She’s a right moody cow, our Maj.’ She shrugged again; at just twelve she had that teenage insouciance thing nailed.
‘So it wasa Friday, the last time you saw her. Where was she meant to be, do you know? Is there an after-school course that day?’
Theresa thought about it, fiddling with the phone in its pink diamanté case. ‘Dunno. Typing, maybe.’ She scowled up at them. ‘The peelers reckon Da took her off to get hitched.’
‘But you don’t think so?’
‘Naw.’ She was scornful. ‘Hit the fecking roof, so he did. He’s not, what’s his name, Robert de Niro, y’know?’
Guy looked puzzled but Paula tried to decipher this. ‘You mean, he’s not much of an actor? So he must not have known where she was? I see. What about your mum?’
‘He says jump, she says how high.’ Theresa was going to have a really excellent sneer in a few years. ‘All me uncles are off looking for her round the country now.’
‘Did Majella have any boyfriends, anything like that?’
The girl’s tight ponytail swung as she shook her head. ‘No way, José. Mammy’d have skinned her alive if she went with fellas.’
‘Well, tell me more about her after-school courses – you said computers?’
‘Aye. Like when they reckon you’re too thick to get a job.’ Majella had gone to the high school in town, a non-denominational institute for those who didn’t make the grammar schools, so Paula was afraid there might be some truth in what the girl said.
‘Did she ever mention something about a mission?’
Theresa gave her a suspicious look. ‘You been doing your snooping, missus. Aye, she went there a few times. Mammy’d not have let her, so she never said.’
‘Have you been?’ Paula was aware of Guy’s warning looks, but ignored them.
‘Jaysus, no – load of Holy Joes clapping and singing about God and shite. Haveta be fourteen anyhow.’
Guy was frowning, soPaula smiled at the girl. ‘Thank you, Theresa. We’re going to do our best to find your sister, I promise.’
Theresa nodded as if she didn’t quite believe this. ‘Missus? You reckon some pervert took her? Her and that other wee girl?’
‘Most people who go missing come back safe and sound,’ said Paula truthfully, and the girl relaxed a bit.
‘Mammy’ll feckin’ skin her when she’s back.’
Well, there was an incentive to return.
They were on their way to the car when a banging broke out and Paula flinched. ‘ Peeler peeler peeler, out out out! ’ From between the caravans came the slam of fists on sheet metal; the men were punching the sides.
‘What are they saying?’ Guy called out over the din.
‘That we should get out! We’re the peelers, apparently.’
‘OK. Well, let’s go then.’ His hand gripped her elbow, secure.
‘Aye, yis useless fecks, when you gonna find my Majella?’ The man who wobbled over had a dark moustache and ponytail. A tall man, and powerfully built, but his face seemed to be crumpling in on itself. You could smell the booze at ten paces.
‘Paddy Ward,’ said Guy quietly. ‘Jesus, he’s gone downhill.’ He raised his voice. ‘Mr
Similar Books
